Recently I realized that my three favourite authors — the ones whose books I pounce on and devour — are all women!

This happened without my having any kind of agenda except to read things I found interesting, well-written and relevant. These writers are simply outstanding, in my opinion, and I love what they write.

For me this is subjective evidence that women are now a force in the literary world. There always have been great women writers, but I don’t remember a time when I’ve had three favourites I’ve liked and admired as much as these. All of the strike me as uncompromising, authentic and masters of their craft.

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So who are they? I’ll give you a few hints. One writes murder mysteries set in Venice, one does the philosophical and theoretical heavy lifting in the world of activist writing, and one writes novels based on her First Nations culture here in BC. Any guesses?

Here they are in no particular order:

The murder mystery writer is Donna Leon, and, fortunately, she’s prolific. Every Spring I can count on a new instalment to the Guido Brunetti series. And, yup, I’ve read every one and eagerly await the next. If you’re curious, I’d recommend starting with her first novel, Death at La Fenice, and then reading them in sequence after that in order to follow the character development.

The activist writer is Naomi Klein, and to me she has her finger on the pulse of what’s happening and what needs to happen in the activist realm. One of the creators of the Leap Manifesto, she lives her commitment to on the ground intersectionality and a just transition to a green future.

The most recent writer I discovered was Eden Robinson from Prince Rupert, BC. I find her writing mesmerizing, unpredictable and captivating. The daughter of a Haisla father and Heiltsuk mother she offers a glimpse into her culture, traditions and lived realities. Her writing is not for the faint of heart.

I love the diversity of these women’s writings. I also love that I enjoy and admire their work, and the fact that they’re women was an afterthought. To me it feels like the playing field has become more level, more diverse and a place where women can authentically express themselves.

As an added bonus, in the realm of music, here’s a link to Zaz, one of France’s most successful singer-songwriters. Her videos kept popping up on my Facebook page, and they wowed me whenever I watched them. Here’s the first video that caught my eye. This woman has amazing energy!

This feels like real progress for women in society. It’s a special kind of breakthrough when women become leaders so readily. I know we still have a long way to go, but it feels good to notice how far we’ve already come.